Veer Kunwar Singh

Why in News?

  • The Government will pay tribute to freedom fighter Veer Kunwar Singh (1777-1858) on his birth anniversary (23rd April).

Who was Kunwar Singh?

  • He belonged to a family of the Ujjainiya clan of the Parmar Rajputs of Jagdispur, currently a part of Bhojpur district, Bihar.
  • He was the chief organiser of the fight against the British in Bihar. He is popularly known as Veer Kunwar Singh.
  • Singh led the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in Bihar. He was nearly eighty and in failing health when he was called upon to take up arms.
  • He was assisted by both his brother, Babu Amar Singh and his commander-in-chief, Hare Krishna Singh. Some argue that the latter was the real reason behind Kunwar Singh's initial military success.
  • He gave a good fight and harried British forces for nearly a year and remained invincible until the end. He was an expert in the art of guerilla warfare.
  • He passed away on 26th April 1858.
  • To honour his contribution to India's freedom movement, the Republic of India issued a commemorative stamp on 23th April 1966.
    • The Government of Bihar established the Veer Kunwar Singh University, Arrah in 1992.
    • In 2017, the Veer Kunwar Singh Setu, also known as the Arrah–Chhapra Bridge, was inaugurated to connect north and south Bihar.
    • In 2018, to celebrate the 160th anniversary of Kunwar Singh's death, the government of Bihar relocated a statue of him to Hardinge Park. The park was also officially renamed as 'Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park'.

Source: IE